Based ‘on truth and lies’, we’re told at the opening of Jonas Åkerlund’s Lords Of Chaos, the film explores the dark origins of Norwegian Black Metal. Set in 1980s and early 1990s Oslo, we meet teenager Euronymous (Rory Culkin) as he forms the band Mayhem, eventually bringing on Varg (Emory Cohen) as bassist. In their quest for notoriety and determination not to conform they leave a trail of death and burned down churches.

Lords Of Chaos Official Film Still.
Lords Of Chaos Official Film Still.

Lords of Chaos premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival and went on to play at other prestigious international festivals including the BFI London Film Festival in October of 2018. Lords of Chaos is in UK cinemas from 29th March

Ahead of the film’s US theatrical and VOD release James Kleinmann spoke to director and co-writer Jonas Åkerlund along with the film’s stars Rory Culkin and Emory Cohen in New York exclusively for HeyUGuys.

In the wide-ranging interview, we learn how the sets from Bladerunner 2049 ended up being repurposed and burnt, how the actors researched and channelled their characters and that a Metallica video for ManUNkind was shot using the film’s cast during the eighteen day movie shoot. Åkerlund discusses his editing and music choices, the wealth of research materials available to him including police reports and representing an horrific murder on screen.

Rory Culkin in Lords Of Chaos.
Rory Culkin in Lords Of Chaos.

Watch the full video interview here.

Lords of Chaos is now playing in New York and other select US cinemas, opening in LA and other cities 15th February. Available on US iTunes and VUDU 22nd February. For cinema listings or to pre-order digitally head to the official Lords of Chaos website. Lords of Chaos arrives in UK cinemas 29th March 2019.

Plot: 

A teenager’s quest to launch Norwegian Black Metal in Oslo in the 1980s results in a very violent outcome. Lords of Chaos tells the true story of True Norwegian Black Metal and its most notorious practitioners – a group of young men with a flair for publicity, church-burning and murder: MAYHEM.